Driving mechanism for transmitting variable speeds.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

W. & G. F. MBISUHKE-SMITH.

ND MODEL.

y I g zvrzewmz q; z W L A d gy UNITED STATES lVlLLlAM MElSCHKE-SMITH Patented July 28, 1903.

AND GEORGIUS FRANCISGUS MElSOHKE-SMITH,

OF PARIS, FRANCE.

DRIVING MECHANISM FORTRANSMITTING VARIABLE SPEEDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 734,921, dated July 28, 1903. Application filed December 1, 1902. Serial No- 133,4=85. (No model.)

To calf whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that We, WILLIAM ll/IEISCHKE- SMITH, a citizen of England, and Gnonorus FRANCISCUS MEISOHKE- SMITH, a citizen of Holland, both residing at 7 Rue Drouot,Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Transmitting Variable Speeds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to driving mechanism more particularly applicable to motorcars so arranged that the speed of transmission can be varied at will by varying the throw of the crank while the machine continues in motion.

\Ve will describe the construction of the said mechanism with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of the same. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the crank of the driving-shaft and parts connected therewith; Fig. 3, a back view, partly in section, of the same; Fig. 4, an end view of the crank and its toothed gear.

As shown in Fig. 1, the mechanism consists, essentially, of a crank 1, revolving with the driving-shaft, the motion of which is transmitted by means of a connecting-rod 2 to an arm 3, so as to impart a reciprocatingmotion thereto, as indicated by the dotted lines. This arm 3 carries at its upper end aneccentric 4:, mounted on a pivot which, according to its position, either during the forward or the backward stroke of the arm 3, turns the disk 5 around with a step-by-step motion, while during the return-stroke it slides freely over the periphery of the disk, which arrangement was described in the specification to our prior patent, No. 706,580, dated August 12, 1902, and to which no specific claim is based in this application.

In order during the working ofthe machine to enable the stroke of the arm 3, and consequently the speed of rotation of the disk 5, to be varied at each revolution of the crank, the latter is constructed as shown at Figs. 2, 8, and 4:. The crank 1, fixed on the shaft 6, is provided with a recess 1, in which is disposed a screw-spindle 7, carrying a threaded block 8, adapted to slide in one direction or the other in the recess, according to the direction in which the screw-spindle 7 is turned. The block 8 carries a crank-pin 9, to which is pivoted the connecting-rod 2 for transmitting motion. On one end of the screw-spindle is fixed a worm-wheel 10, in gear with which is a worm 11, whose axis is carriedin bearings in the crankland which has fixed on one end a pinion 12. This pinion gears respectively with a toothed wheel 13, mounted loose on the crank-shaft 6, and with an internally-toothed ring 14, disposed between a disk 15, fixed tothe wheel 13, andadisk 16, fixed to the shaft 6, the

ring 14 being thus held against shifting in an axial or radial direction, but being free to revolve relatively to the two disks.

The disk 16 is fixed to the crank 1, so that I this revolves with the shaft. The toothed wheel 13 being coupled with the toothed ring 14 by means of the pinion 12 both 13 and 14 will ordinarily be carried around by frictional contact with the disks without any relative rotation,and consequently without any rotation of the pinion 12 on its axis. the toothed ringle be held stationary while the parts are revolving by means of a brake-block 1'7,pressed against it by a lever 1S,then the pinion 12 will roll around on \heinternal-toothed surface, and this rotation of the pinion will be transmitted through the worm 11 to the worm wheel 10 and screw-spindle 7, and the rotation of the latter will cause the crank-pin 9 to be shifted, say, farther from the shaft 6,

thereby increasingthe speed of transmission.

If, on the other hand, the disk 15, and consequently the toothed Wheel 13, be held stationary by the brake-lever 14 being left free to revolve, the pinion 12 in rolling on the wheel '13 will revolve in the contrarydirection to that above described, and the screw-spindle 7 will be rotated, so as to shift the crank-pin 9, say, nearer to the shaft 6, thereby decreasing the speed of transmission. By these means it will be seen that the throw of the crank can even be reduced to zero, so that no motion at all is transmitted to the disk 5 by the crankshaft.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means we know of carry- 1c 0 ing the same into practical effect, we claim- 1. In driving mechanism for transmitting If, however, 75

the other.

variable speeds, a crank, a block arranged therein and carrying a crank-pin, a screw coacting with the block, geared members, mechanism connecting the geared members with the screw, and means for holding either of the members stationary to the exclusion of 2. In driving mechanism for transmitting variablespeeds,a crank, a nut arranged therein and carrying a crank-pin, a screw coacting with the nutand carryinga worm-wheel, a worm engaging the worm-wheel, geared members, interposed mechanism connecting the said members with the worm, and means for holding either of the members stationary to the exclusion of the other.

'3. In a driving mechanism for transmitting variable speeds, a hollow crank, a screw carried thereby and provided with a. worm-wheel, a nut mounted on the screw and carrying a crank-pin, a worm in mesh with the worm- Wheel, a pinion carried by the worm, geared members engaging the pinion, and means for holding either of the members stationary to the exclusion of the other, thereby to cause the screw to be rotated through the medium of the worm thus to shift the position of the crank-pin.

4. In driving mechanism for transmitting variable speeds, the combination with a shaft, of a gear-wheel loosely mounted thereon, a disk rigid with the shaft,an internally-toothed ring disposed between the disk and the gear, a crank rigid with the'shaft and connected with the disk, a screw carried by the crank, a nut engaging the screw and carrying a crankpin, a worm-wheel disposed at one end of the screw, a worm engaging the worm-wheel and carrying a pinion to mesh with the said gearwheel and internally-toothed ring, and means for holding said wheel or the said ring stationary to cause movement of the crank-pin to or from the axis of rotation of the shaft.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses. 7

W. MEISGHKE-SMITH. GEORGIUS FRANOISCUS MElSCHKE-SMITH.

Witnesses to the signature of William Meischke-Smith:

WALTER J. SKERTEN, GERALD L. SMITH.

\Vitnesses to the signature of Georgius Franciscus Meischke-Smith:

EDWARD P. ll/IACLEAN, PAUL F. PAQUET. 

